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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 21 February 2011
A new route for preparing CdX (X = S, Se, Te, S+Se) nanocrystallitesdispersed in a sodium borosilicate glass matrix from a hydrogel is proposed.Chalcogenizing complexing molecules - for instance a mixture of NH4SCN + H2SeO3 - introduced in thestarting solution allowed an in situ crystallitepreparation concomitant to gel densification. Prevention of crystalliteoxidation is thus obtained. Moreover, coalescence is minimized because ofthe low gel-glass transition temperature. Low temperature absorption spectrahave been interpreted in terms of exciton and electron-hole confinements,accounting for both an intrinsic broadening of energy states inside eachnanocrystal and a Gaussian size distribution. Crystallite sizes and sizedispersion can be adjusted by changing the initial Cd concentration. Thecrystallinity of the nanoparticles without change in dispersion is stronglyimproved by thermal treatment above the Tg of the glassmatrix.